Armed forces facing shortage of anti-mine vehicles: MHA

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are facing a shortage of mine-protected vehicles (MPVs), Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir informed Parliament on Tuesday.

The minister said that out of the 157 MPVs sanctioned by the Home Ministry in the last three years, only 13 have been supplied to the CAPF so far by the Ordnance Factory Board, an industrial organisation functioning under the defence production department of the Defence Ministry.

Ahir said “the Home Ministry has requested the Defence Ministry/Ordnance Factory Board to expedite the supply of MPVs”.

He added that the requirement of the CAPF for any item, including MPVs, changes with time and their deployment pattern.

“Acquisition of such items is an ongoing process. The actual procurement of any equipment, including MPVs, is guided by operational requirements and availability of funds,” Ahir said.

This information comes after nine personnel of the 212 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed on March 13 when Maoists blew up an MPV they were riding using an Improvised Explosive Device in Kistaram area in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district.